My Cobberdog puppy does not eat!
In the past we have had customers with questions wondering why their new Cobberdog or Australian Labradoodle puppy doesn’t eat much. I would like to offer some insights here that will hopefully help.
There are several reasons that this might be happening. First let us take into account the size and weight of your puppy. Most of our miniature and medium labradoodle and cobberdog puppies are between 2-5 kgs when they go home with you. Their life has just had drastic changes, being separated from the litter, and taken to a new environment with all different companions to live with. Cobberdog puppies do adjust quickly and well to new environments, but may be somewhat stressed from all the changes in their life. One of the first places this shows up is loss of appetite.
I agree it is worrisome when a creature as cute as my cobberdog puppy does not eat, but rest assured, it will not starve! Labradoodle puppies are quite small and eat very little to begin with. Most puppies around twelve weeks old will eat between one quarter and two thirds cup of 4 Strong Paws puppy kibble per day. This amount may go down to basically zero the first couple days your puppy is home with you, and one of the main reasons is, that you have started training your puppy, so you are most likely using high value treats such as dehydrated liver, and they almost always do eat these. So, before you know it, the puppy has had a half dozen small kibble size high density nutritious treats, and this can be equivalent to a meal for the puppy. His appetite is satiated and the next meal has very little appeal.
If your puppy plays, runs, jumps, and seems happy, and periodically drinks water and is interested in treats, it is likely healthy and just not interested in its kibble yet. Dogs descended from grey wolves a long time ago, wolves can go days without eating, and will eat huge amounts of meat when it is available. Dogs seem to follow this pattern somewhat, even if food is available they may not eat it until they are hungry, then eat a lot at one time. It is true, there are some dog breeds such as Labs, that would eat all the time if allowed. Australian Labradoodles and Cobberdogs are not interested in food like Labs. Labradoodles are usually more interested in you and what you are feeling and doing then what is on the menu, so if you’re concerned your Cobberdog puppy is not eating, instead of hand feeding him, try teaching it to be a bit more independant and spend a little time by himself for meals. Remember your puppy will eat when it’s hungry, and fasting is a way the puppy will naturally react to situations that are stressful such as a move to a new place. Long term it is probably healthier for the dog to miss several meals then to chronically over eat, which can cause weight gain and stress on its joints.
On the other hand a growing Cobberdog puppy does require good nutrition for healthy development so providing your puppy will high quality palatable food is as important as enough mental stimulation, physical exercise, and occasional “down time” when the puppy/dog is allowed to be by itself without interruptions. Raising a cobberdog puppy is a fun rewarding experience, and with time you will learn the puppies eating and eliminating rhythms. This is all part of bonding with your pet. I hope this is helpful and remember most of all, to have fun with your puppy!